Ripley's Believe It or Not!

When I created this blog I promised you that it would not be filled with the morose details of my family life. If it weren't for the doubts of a certain lovable gaggle of teachers at my aunt's school, then I wouldn't have to break my promise to you. Blame them; it's all their fault!

I should take my mom's medical records on a trip of the U.S. First, I'd go to Vegas and bet all I have that in the next month my mom will be hospitalized at least 2 more times, that is once she gets out from this trip. Then, I'll go to Area 51, you know, that top secret place in the Nevada desert where the government is studying alien existence. I'm sure the scientists would love to know that the aliens have set up shop in my mom's body. I'm sure I could use her chart at Niagara Falls as a raft to go over the falls on. Lastly, we'd stop off at the nearest Ripley's Believe It or Not museum, where her charts would win top display location for being the thickest in the shortest period of time. Hmmm, can you say "road trip!"

Okay, I've been thinking about how to list all of her problems in the past 16 months and I think I'll go with categories. You'll have to give or take a few in each, seeing as fatigue, despair and downright lunacy might alter my count a tad. The ones with a "*" next to them have occurred just since September, the last time my mom was home. Here we go.............

-broken legs: 3, 2 required surgery with pins
-bowel obstructions: at least 12+ (8 or more*), 1 required 5.5 hours of surgery*
-amputated toes due to complications from diabetes: 2, both on same foot*
-ambulance trips: 10+
-ICU stays: 7 or 8, 3 in Jan. alone*
-intubations: 2*
-yeast infection in her back (yes, her back): 1, surgery completed this evening*
-breathing issues: too many to count*
-life-threateningly low blood sugar levels: too many to count, 3 just since Easter*

-blood clots in her leg/groin: 1*

-pulmonary embolisms: 1*

-infections (mostly hospital born): too many to count*

-blood/plasma transfusions: too many to count, 6 plasma and 2 whole blood units just last week*

(I'm sure there's more but I'm overwhelmed at my list and lunacy is creeping in.)

You're probably shaking your head for 2 reasons right now, 1 being that you can't believe this list and the other reason being that you can't believe that I would put this so nonchalantly on my blog. Well, trust me, I don't take any of this lightly. The only things that have gotten me through these ordeals (and these aren't all the ordeals we go through) have been my faith, my family & friends, my therapist and my humor. Laughter truly is the best medicine. I knew there was a reason that God brought Rick, Lauren and Josh into my life. Nothing is funnier than watching the 3 of them going to town doing impressions from the latest TV show/movie or imitating a Canadian relative or 2! Yup, that means you, Auntie Barb.

Worrying about my mom won't heal her. Neither will being angry, taking it out on others, delving into depression, eating chocolate until I want to throw up, or wallowing in the misery of it all. I've tried 'em all. In fact, nothing I do or can ever do will heal her. That's not my decision to make. The only thing I can do is take care of myself and that means being loving to my parents, taking breaks from them when I'm about to lose it, being there for my husband and children, having a pedicure while drinking a Starbucks, laughing whenever and wherever the mood hits me and being honest and open. That's what I did just now in this blog.

I love my mom and dad dearly! Please join me in praying for them during this most disturbing time of their lives.

And, with that all said, I call shotgun on the road trip! :)